Sweden: Negotiations to Join NATO Could Take Year

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the negotiations to join NATO could take a year.

In statements she made in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, as a special invitee to the summit, Andersson noted that she made it clear to Turkey that her country would abide by international law regarding extradition.

On her side, Ann Linde, the Swedish Foreign Minister told the "Aftonbladet” newspaper that her country took Turkey’s concern about terrorism seriously.

Linde added that Sweden and Finland agreed with Turkey not to provide to the Kurdistan Workers’ party, the Kurdish People's Defense Units, and the supporters of Fethullah Gülen

For weeks, Sweden and Finland's applications were held up by Turkey. Any Nato enlargement must be approved by all 30 members.

The Turkish government claimed the Nordic nations were supporting what it calls terrorist organizations, including Kurdish separatists and the Gulen movement, which Turkey blames for an attempted coup in 2016.

Kurds make up 15-20% of Turkey's population and have been persecuted by Turkish authorities for generations.

Vladimir Putin's actions have shattered a long-standing sense of stability in northern Europe, leaving Sweden and Finland feeling vulnerable.

Finland's ex-Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said joining NATO was a "done deal" for his country as soon as Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24 February.

Sweden has also felt endangered in recent years, as several reported airspace violations by Russian military aircraft.